Method of and system for defending home building projects from wildfire during and after construction on property located within a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region

The present Patent Application is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/329,979 filed Jun. 6, 2023; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/167,084 filed Feb. 4, 2021; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/497,948 filed Oct. 10, 2021; wherein each said US Patent Application is commonly owned by Mighty Fire Breaker, LLC and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.

The present invention is directed towards improvements in science and technology applied in the defense of human and animal life and property, against the ravaging and destructive forces of wildfire.

Over the past century, millions of people have developed and settled towns, counties and neighborhoods in regions that today are called the Wildfire Urban Interface (WUI), which are at high risk to wildfires, and this is impacting home owners and property insurance industry. For man to live and survive a sustainable future in the urban-wildfire interface, human society must quickly adapt to survive the destructive effects of wildfires.

Conventional Methods of Wildfire Fighting Defense Include:

Current methods of wildfire defense and fighting are becoming unsustainable because the financial losses due to wildfire are exceeding what the insurance industry is willing to insure, as the damage caused by wildfire to the environment is typically catastrophic and destruction.

For several decades now, wildfire defense methods have proposed proactively spraying homes, buildings and properties with chemical fire retardants—to defend against hot wildfire embers flying in the direction of prevailing winds, in search of combustible fuel.

In 2006, US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0113403 A1 (Aamodt of Firebreak Spray Systems LLC) disclosed a fire-retardant distribution system designed for use with any type of structure such as residences, out buildings, barns, commercial buildings, and others. This prior art system is designed to prevent structures from catching fire when a wildfire approaches, and relies upon a spray system that when activated coats the exterior of the structures, decks, and surrounding landscape very rapidly with a liquid, decolorized fire retardant that remains on the surface until washed off. The system is self-contained and relies upon tanks pressurized with inert gas to deliver the fire retardant to spray valves positioned on and around the structures and surrounding areas. In an alternate embodiment, compressed gas-powered pumps deliver fire retardant to desired areas to flank a wildfire and control its direction and behavior. In general, such firebreak spray systems are expense to install and use liquid fire retardants that are less than optimal from performance criteria, as well as from an environmental sustainability perspective.

Wildfire defense methods have also proposed the use of hydrogels as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,229,769 and 5,849,210, for the purpose of cooling the source of the fire by retaining water close to the flame. In general, such hydrogels are produced from a water-absorbing polymer and water. The hydrogel binds the water and so stops the water from flowing away from the source of the fire. Because hydrogels can maintain a large amount of water near the fire, hydrogels have a good immediate extinguishing effect. In contrast, the long-term effect of hydrogels is poor. Hydrogels can dry and thereby rapidly lose their effect. The remaining salt-like dried hydrogels have a very low fire-retarding effect.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,273,813 (assigned to BASF) also proposes combining water-absorbing polymers with fire-retarding salts to form fire-retarding compositions having a good immediate extinguishing effect and a good long-term effect, but are not ideal for use in automated firebreak spraying systems discussed above.

For over a decade, Hartindo's anti-fire (AF) chemical solution AF31 has been used in proactive fire defense applications including wildfire defense. While AF31 solution employs tripotassium citrate dissolved in water with minor amounts of a natural gum added to provide cling, the natural gum tends to clog spray nozzles requiring additional cleaning and maintenance, and adversely impacts many species of plant life including flowing plants, tender perennials and vegetables.

Despite some advances being made in the field of wildfire suppression, wildfires have become all too common in recent years, wreaking havoc on communities and the environment. As a result, more effective wildfire management technologies are needed now more than ever, especially in areas where human development intersects with wildland vegetation—called the wildland-urban interface (WUI)—where human development and wildland vegetation meet or overlap, and representing the boundary between built environments, such as cities, towns, and rural areas, and nearby natural habitats. As a result, the WUI can be a source of both natural resources and potential hazards, such as increased wildfire risk.

The WUI refers to areas where residential development is near trees or dense vegetation, which pose a higher risk of wildfires. Experts primarily assess vegetation cover and housing proximity to determine the WUI threshold.

show examples of wood-framed and mass-timber homes built and being constructed within the WUI region. Because the wildland-urban interface presents a significant challenge for firefighters due to the proximity of populated areas, increasing the risk of property damage and civilian injurie, home and property insurance underwriters are starting to refuse underwriting homes under construction (and already) constructed in WUI region, unless builders and homeowners can show significant evidence of measures taken to reduce or mitigate risk due to wildfires during the construction phase and post-construction phase of a wood building project in the WUI region.

Applicant believes that communities in the WUI region can be safe guarded from the constant wildfire threat by better understanding the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) and implementing new and improved strategies, methods and practices that will reduce fire risks in these areas. For example, mapping and assessing WUI areas are vital for understanding wildfire risks and developing strategies to minimize them. High-resolution maps, created using remote sensing data, enable a detailed analysis of vegetation density, cover, and housing proximity to dense vegetation. Accurate mapping and assessment empower communities and policymakers to comprehend and effectively address the unique challenges of WUI areas.

Several strategies can be employed to reduce fire risks in WUI areas, including creating Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs), fostering fire-adapted communities, utilizing fire suppression techniques, and implementing building and landscaping guidelines. These approaches enhance community resilience against wildfires and minimize potential losses. By implementing these strategies, communities can enhance their resilience against wildfires and create safer living environments in the wildland-urban interface.

When building homes in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Areas, builders face numerous decisions, from material choices to landscaping, that can impact a home's resilience against wildfires. WUI concerns should not be geographically isolated for home builders, as these areas continue to grow by approximately 2 million acres per year, placing an emphasis on building ignition-resistant homes to prevent the spread and damage of wildfires should they occur. There are practical steps builders can take to make homes in WUI zones resilient against wildfires and several key areas that should be addressed during the planning and construction phases.

For ignition-resistant construction, first step is site planning including identifying if the building site is located on a steep hill, a densely vegetated area, or an area with an abundance of existing fuels. Considering fire paths and outside risks to the structure should be just as important as the typical site planning considerations, such as views, access, and available sunlight.

Beyond planning, ignition resistant construction is contingent on material choices for windows, doors, siding, decking, and roofing. Class A is the highest-level fire-resistance rating an exterior material can achieve as tested under the UL 790 standards. Examples of Class A-rated materials include clay tile, stucco, metal roofing, and certain asphalt shingle roofs.

The fire-resistive class of the material is a great starting point to understanding the level of exposure a material has. If there is no rating, then it's going to be considered a flammable material, and the more holes, cracks, and areas for embers to catch in a material, the more likely it is to be affected by the spread of fire. Stone and brick siding typically have great fire resistance while vinyl siding and natural wood products are either direct fuel sources or will not hold up under fire. While stone and brick siding can run more expensive, lower-cost Class A exterior alternatives, such as stucco, manufactured stone, wood-look metal siding, composite siding, and fiber cement board, are also available on the market.

Combustible exterior building components, including roof coverings, siding, and decks, can ignite and contribute to the damage and spread of wildfires. Careful consideration should be given to building materials that are used in WUI areas as well as construction measures to prevent the penetration of heat and embers at vents, mechanical or electrical openings, and windows. For windows, tempered glass has proved to be resistant to breakage from radiant heat, and double-pane windows are preferred to single-pane windows for performance against fires. Builders can minimize risk by covering the exposures with materials such as concrete, metal mesh, or stucco.

With over 3 million homes at risk and an unsustainable prior art model of deploying mitigation teams during active wildfires, insurance giants like State Farm, Allstate (and others) have withdrawn from California's wildfire insurance landscape. The reliance on temporary measures such as sprinkler systems, hotspot monitoring, vegetation removal and spraying foam has proven inadequate against the scale of the threat. Also, the number of properties that can get this type of just-in-time protection has proven to be unsustainable based on the number of properties at risk in the WUI region.

Clearly, there is still a great need for new and improved systems, networks and methods of wildfire defense of wood-framed and mass-timber homes and building structures being constructed in the wildfire urban interface (WUI) region will reduce or eliminate wildfire risks of damage and destruction that will provide greater comfort to property insurance underwriters to insure such home jobsite construction projects during the. Construction phase, and constructed homes during the post-construction phase, anywhere within the WUI regions, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art methods, apparatus, compositions and other fire protection technologies.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present is to provide a new and improved method of and system for defending home building projects from wildfire during and after construction on property within a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region, while overcoming the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art methods and apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of defending wood home construction projects, their job-sites, and completed homes and surrounding properties from wildfire storms.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of home construction wildfire defense protection involving a novel method of constructing, commissioning, and decommissioning two different and independent sprinkler-based home wildfire defense systems, at different phases of the home building project.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method of home construction wildfire defense protection, wherein at beginning of the construction phase of the home building project, a first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system is installed and commissioned for operation on the construction job-site using the wildfire defense system trailer of the present invention to provide a liquid fire inhibitor supply, sprinkler pumping operations, and automated controls and monitoring during the entire construction phase, thereby providing a proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed home and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring during construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method of home construction wildfire defense protection, wherein the first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system will continue in operation all during the home building construction phase, and will only be decommissioned from operation, and removed from the premises (including the job-site wildfire defense system trailer being towed away to a new location and old sprinklers and piping removed from the property), when construction of the wood home building project is totally completed and the wood home building is ready for occupation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method of home construction wildfire defense protection, wherein once the wood home building project is completed and ready for occupation, the first automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system is decommissioned and removed from the premises (including the wildfire defense trailer being towed away to a new location and old sprinklers and piping removed from the premises).

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method of home construction wildfire defense protection, wherein at the same time when the first system is decommissioned, a second permanently-installed automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system will be completely installed within the new home construction, independent from the first system, and ready for commissioning to provide a new proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the constructed home and its surrounding property during a wildfire storm occurring after construction has been completed, thereby protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on the home and surrounding property, and preventing fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved trailer-mounted system and kit components for installing automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system about home construction site before the starting of the construction phase of the home building project in the wildfire urban interface (WUI) region, wherein this first type of automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system is to provide a proactive measure of defense against hot flying embers entering the construction job-site property during a wildfire storm, protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on the home construction job-site and prevent fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved trailer-mounted system the installation and deployment of a wireless remotely-activatable sprinkler-based wildfire defense fire inhibitor spraying system on a home construction job-site, where sprinkler heads are mounted for liquid fire inhibitor all over the combustible surfaces of the construction job-site, surrounding perimeter areas, as well wood framed and/or mass-timber buildings being constructed thereon during the construction phase of the project.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wireless system network for managing the supply, delivery and spray-application of environmentally-clean fire-inhibiting biochemical liquid on private and public property, including wood-building home job-sites, to reduce the risks of damage and/or destruction caused by wild fires, and support the sustainable underwriting of home, building and property insurance policies operating within the wildfire urban interface (WUI) regions around the globe

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved job-site wildfire defense system trailer for rapid deployment on the wood home and building construction job-sites for the purpose of managing and delivering environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibiting chemical (by spraying operations) to the exterior surfaces of wood and other combustible surfaces present at home construction and other building job-sites, long before the arrival of hot flying embers from a wildfire and/or wildfire storm so as to reduce and/or mitigate damage and/or destruction of property by wildfire.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved job-site wildfire defense system trailer comprising: a trailer framework provided with wheels, an adjustable stand mechanism adapted for coupling to a hitch mounted on the rear frame of a truck or tractor provided with an engine and drive train for pulling the trailer to its home construction job-site destination(s), a cabin enclosure mounted on the trailer having a rear hinged door/loading ramp for loading and unloading equipment and supplies stored inside the cabin, a side door, and a sheltered interior volume for storing diverse kinds of equipment, and supplies of liquid wildfire inhibitor that is to be used for performing three different functions, namely: (i) spraying environmentally-clean fire inhibiting liquid over wood building materials to provide Class-A fire protection to wood buildings as they are constructed on the on the home and building construction job-site; (ii) providing environmentally-clean fire extinguishing liquid in event of fire outbreaks on the home and building construction job-site; and (iii) spraying environmentally-clean fire inhibiting liquid over the job-site home construction area and wood building(s) being constructed thereon—prior to the occurrence of a wildfire outbreak—automatically detected by AI-triggered smoke and ember sensors deployed across the WUI Region.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved job-site wildfire defense system trailer comprising a number of subsystems, selected from the group consisting of: (i) a portable backpack fire inhibitor spray-atomizing system, each filled with a quantity of environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibitor supplied from a supply tank; (ii) a portable air-less liquid fire inhibitor spraying system with a spray nozzle for spraying environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibitor; (iii) a palate of gallon pails, each pail containing environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibitor for use in spraying on wood material on a home construction job-site and providing Class A fire protection to wood material present therein; (iv) trailer-mounted automated sprinkler-based job-site wildfire defense spraying system for use during the construction phase of a home building project, triggered by an automated AI-based smoke and/or wildfire ember detection system/network deployed within a WUI region; (v) portable trailer-mounted fire extinguishing system for use in extinguishing job-site construction fires using a supply tank containing environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibitor; (vi) kit and components for installing an automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system integrated in and on the constructed home and surrounding property, and deployed and commissioned only after the construction phase of the home building project has been completed, wherein the automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system includes a trailer-supported sprinkler-based liquid wildfire inhibitor sprinkler/spraying system (e.g. which may include a flag pole supported sprinkler spray head for deep and far range delivery of liquid fire inhibitor droplets, a liquid wildfire inhibitor pumping system, a liquid wildfire inhibitor storage tank, a battery backup power supply system, a remote/local controller for the automated pumping system; and a water reservoir storage tank containing a quantity of water for use for flushing piping and testing sprinkler spray head sprinkling operations, during post-construction proactive wildfire defense operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of installing and commissioning the operation of a first sprinkler-based wildfire defense system deployed during the construction phase of a home building project, and then installing and commissioning the operation of a second and independent wildfire defense fire inhibitor spraying system deployed during the post construction phase of the home building project, when the first sprinkler-based wildfire defense system is decommissioned and removes from the job-site when the home building is completed and ready for occupancy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved wildfire defense spraying system (WFDS) including chemical liquid storage tanks loaded with food-grade liquid chemicals and based on the weights and measures that support ASTM fire testing accreditations, EPA Safer Choice Labeling Certification, UL GreenGuard Gold Certification, and passes California Aquatic Testing and EPA and meets California's Proposition 65.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system and method of mitigating the damaging effects of wild fires by spraying environmentally-clean fire inhibiting biochemical liquid on property prior to arrival of wildfire to form thin, optically-clear potassium salt crystalline coatings on combustible property, that inhibits fire ignition and flame spread without depending on water, so long as such potassium salt crystalline coatings remain present on the combustible property surfaces.

By virtue of the method of the present invention, it is now possible to significantly reduce the risk of wood home building construction projects occurring within a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region, and better support the underwriting of home construction and ownership insurance policies within such regions.

These and other benefits and advantages to be gained by using the features of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter and in the appended Claims to Invention.

Referring to the accompanying Drawings, like structures and elements shown throughout the figures thereof shall be indicated with like reference numerals.

Wireless System Network For Managing The Supply, Delivery And Spray-Application Of Environmentally-Clean Fire-Inhibiting Biochemical Liquid On Private and Public Property, Including Wood-Building Home Job-Sites, To Reduce The Risks Of Damage And/Or Destruction Caused By Wild Fires, And Support The Sustainable Underwriting Of Home, Building And Property Insurance Policies Operating Within The Wildfire Urban Interface (WUI) Regions Around The Globe

shows the wireless system network of the present inventiondesigned for managing the supply, delivery, and spray-application of environmentally-clean biochemical liquid fire inhibitor composition of the present invention, on private and public property, including wood-building home construction job-sites, to reduce the risks of damage to and/or destruction of wood buildings under construction, caused by wild fires, and support the sustainable underwriting of home, building and property insurance policies within the wildfire urban interface (WUI) regions around the globe. This system networkis described in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 10,653,904B2, et al incorporated herein by reference.

As disclosed therein, the system network comprises a distribution of system components, namely: GPS-tracked fire inhibiting (or anti-fire) liquid spray ground vehicles(e.g. all-terrain vehicles or ATVs), for spray applying liquid chemical fire inhibitor, formulated according to the present invention, to ground surfaces, brush surfaces, and the surfaces of other forms of organic combustible material on property; GPS-tracked anti-fire liquid spray air-based vehicles, for applying fire inhibiting chemical liquid spray of the present invention (formulated as illustrated inand specified herein) from the air to ground surfaces, brush, bushes and other forms of organic material; GPS-tracked mobile anti-fire liquid back-pack spraying systems(e.g. including wheel supported, and backpack-carried systems), for applying fire inhibiting chemical liquid spray to combustible ground surfaces, brush, bushes, decks, houses, buildings, and other forms of organic material and property surrounding houses; GPS-tracked/GSM-linked liquid spraying systems, for applying fire inhibiting chemical liquid spray to combustible surfaces on private real property, buildings and surrounding areas, and further specified in the present Patent Specification; GPS-tracked/GSM-linked liquid spraying systems, for applying fire inhibiting chemical liquid spray to combustible surfaces on public real property and buildings and surrounding properties; a fleet of mobile construction job-site wildfire defense system trailersdeployed and used on wood home and building construction job-sites anywhere within the WUI region, for the purpose of managing and delivering environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibiting chemical (by spraying operations) to the exterior surfaces of wood and other combustible surfaces present at home construction and other building job-sites, long before the arrival of hot flying embers from a wildfire and/or wildfire storm so as to reduce and/or mitigate damage and/or destruction of property by wildfire; a GPS-indexed real-property (land) database systemfor storing the GPS coordinates of the vertices and maps of all land parcels, including private property and buildingand public property and building, situated in every town, county and state in the region over which the system networkis used to manage wild fires as they may occur; a cellular phone, GSM, and SMS messaging systems and email servers, collectively; and one or more data centersfor monitoring and managing GPS-tracking/GSM-linked liquid supply and spray systems, including web serversA, application serversB and database serversC (e.g. RDBMS) operably connected to the TCP/IP infrastructure of the Internet, and including a network databaseC, for monitoring and managing the system and network of GPS-tracking anti-fire liquid spraying systems and various functions supported by the command center, including the management of wild fire suppression and the GPS-guided application fire inhibiting chemical liquid over public and private property, as will be described in greater technical detail hereinafter. As shown, each data centeralso includes an SMS serverD and an email message serverE for communicating with registered users on the system networkwho use a mobile computing device (e.g. an Apple® iPhone or iPad tablet)as shown in, having mobile applicationsinstalled thereon and configured for the purposes described herein. Such communication services will include SMS/text, email and push-notification services known in the mobile communications arts.

As shown in, the system network architecture shows many different kinds of users supported by mobile computing devicesrunning the mobile applicationof the present invention, namely: the plurality of mobile computing devicesrunning the mobile application, used by fire departments and firemen to access services supported by the system network; the plurality of mobile computing systemsrunning mobile application, used by insurance underwriters and agents to access services on the system network; the plurality of mobile computing systemsrunning mobile application, used by building architects and their firms to access the services supported by the system network; the plurality of mobile client systems(e.g. mobile computers such as iPad, and other Internet-enabled computing devices with graphics display capabilities, etc.) used by spray-project technicians and administrators, and running a native mobile applicationsupported by server-side modules, supporting client-side and server-side processes on the system network of the present invention; and a GPS-tracked anti-fire liquid spraying systems for spraying buildings and ground cover to provide protection and defense against wild-fires. These subsystems are further specified in detail in US Patent No. 10,653,904B2.

shows an exemplary mobile computing devicedeployed on the system network of the present invention. Such mobile computing systems support conventional wildfire alert and notification systems (e.g. CAL FIRE® wild fire notification system), as well as the mobile fire inhibitor spraying management applicationof the present invention, that is deployed as a component of the system network. The features of mobile smartphone device 11 can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 8,631,358 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Notably, new and improved the GPS-tracked/GSM-linked, sprinkler-based wildfire defense (fire inhibiting liquid) spraying systemsindicated in the system network of, and kits for constructing such systems, will be further specified in detail hereinafter in the present Patent Specification.

Specification of the Mobile Home and Building Construction Job-Site Wildfire Defense System Trailer Of the Present Invention

As shown in, for each home and building construction job-sitewithin the WUI region, a mobile home and building construction job-site wildfire defense system trailerwill be deployed on the system network, and used on the wood home and building construction job-sites for the purpose of managing and delivering environmentally-clean liquid fire inhibiting chemical (by spraying operations) to the exterior surfaces of wood and other combustible surfaces present at home construction and other building job-sites, long before the arrival of hot flying embers from a wildfire and/or wildfire storm so as to reduce and/or mitigate damage and/or destruction of property by wildfire.